Animal Detective

The camp.

After a long discussion, Teacher Chen and the others finally decided to officially register the Hunting Falcon.

This meant fitting it with an identity band and installing a GPS tracker.

On one hand, it was for scientific research.

This albino Hunting Falcon was of high research value.

On the other, it had already become a target for poachers, so a GPS tracker would also offer it some protection.

Fitting the leg band went smoothly.

But when it came to the tracker, things didn’t go so well.

Even with Shen Xin watching right there, as soon as they put it on, the Hunting Falcon wouldn’t stop twisting its head to peck and bite at the tracker.

"Teacher Chen, this isn’t working." Even Shen Xin’s attempts to calm it were useless.

The Hunting Falcon flapped its wings, constantly trying to shake the tracker off, twisting its head to peck and tear at it.

Seeing that it might hurt itself, they had no choice but to take it off for now.

They waited for it to calm down before trying again.

The result was the same. The moment it was on, the falcon began to struggle.

After several attempts, Teacher Chen sighed and gave up, explaining that some birds were just like that—very sensitive and unable to tolerate having something strapped to their backs.

Doniya, who had been there the whole time, quietly grumbled to Shen Xin that a person would feel uncomfortable with something like that strapped to them, so it was no surprise the bird couldn’t accept it.

Shen Xin said, "They’re experienced. It’s not the first one they’ve tagged, and it’s for the falcon’s own good."

Doniya pouted. "If you really want to do what’s best for it, you should just let it go."

’It’s not like we’re not going to release it,’ Shen Xin thought.

Since the falcon wouldn’t accept the tracker, Teacher Chen and his team had to drop the idea. They decided to release it that afternoon.

The creature wasn’t eating or drinking. Keeping it caged any longer might make it sick from starvation.

That afternoon, on the grasslands outside the Gacha, the group released the Hunting Falcon.

Everyone spread out a bit as Shen Xin stepped forward, opened the cage, and took the Hunting Falcon out.

To this day, it was still "intensely interested" in Shen Xin.

"Stop looking at me. Off you go."

Shen Xin waved it away.

It stood on the ground, unmoving, still staring intently at Shen Xin.

Shen Xin slowly backed away.

This time, it didn’t follow, just watched from a distance.

Once Shen Xin had put some distance between them, it suddenly beat its wings and soared into the sky.

It wasn’t injured, and its flying ability was unimpaired. In an instant, it shot into the clouds, becoming a tiny black dot.

Shen Xin couldn’t help but feel a little awkward at this.

He’d actually thought it had a special affection for him or something. Now it seemed that, just like in romance, it was all just an illusion.

Teacher Chen and the others watched from afar with binoculars.

Shen Xin looked up. The Hunting Falcon flew extremely high, circled a few times, and then sped off to the north.

Teacher Chen couldn’t help but sigh, finding it a pity.

However, they had collected a blood sample before releasing it.

So, the group didn’t linger. They left quickly, ready to return and study the blood sample.

They wanted to see whether this Hunting Falcon was the result of a genetic mutation or crossbreeding.

Doniya didn’t leave right away. She stood there, gazing at the distant sky, and suddenly said, "Shen Xin, do you think I’m too selfish?"

The topic came out of nowhere. Shen Xin asked her what she meant.

"It’s about Hong Gu’er."

As Doniya walked back with Shen Xin, she continued, "I’m starting to think my dad might be right. Hong Gu’er’s heart belongs to the grasslands. I’m only keeping him because I need him, not because I’m truly thinking about what’s best for him."

"So, do you think I should let him go?"

Doniya looked at Shen Xin, her eyes filled with confusion and conflict.

The Hunting Falcon had eyes only for Shen Xin, yet when freedom was offered, it left without a second thought.

Shen Xin understood, but this was a difficult question to answer.

If she released Hong Gu’er, he would be free.

But in the wild, he would likely face danger.

He might not be afraid of a single wolf, but could he really win against a whole pack?

Then there was winter.

The grasslands would be sealed by snow and ice, and it wouldn’t be easy for him to survive.

Kept in captivity, he’d be cared for by humans and at least wouldn’t have to worry about food.

But one could also argue: give me liberty or give me death.

So Shen Xin really didn’t know how to answer this question.

Seeing Shen Xin’s dilemma, Doniya waved her hand in frustration. "Forget it. I’ll just wrestle with it myself."

After that, she added that her parents wanted to invite Shen Xin, Lakshen, and the others to dinner that night.

To thank them for saving their lives.

"Especially Tian Kui." Doniya was clearly reluctant to part with Tian Kui whenever he was mentioned. She asked when Shen Xin had to leave.

That would have to wait until they found Tianxiong.

The two returned to the camp. Doniya took Tian Kui out to play on the grassland, while Shen Xin planned to ask Duan Zijie about the situation on his end.

Shen Xin was a criminal police officer, after all. The case was his main concern.

Just then, Doniya suddenly pointed to the northern sky and shouted, "Shen Xin, look!"

Shen Xin whipped his head around and saw a black dot in the northern sky, drawing closer.

He focused his eyes and saw it was the very same Hunting Falcon they had just released.

It had actually come back.

Then, it swooped down, landing lightly and precisely in front of Shen Xin.

Its sharp talons were clamped tightly around a brown wild rabbit?

It then dropped the rabbit in front of Shen Xin and stood there, staring at him intently.

Shen Xin was completely baffled.

’It was set free, but it didn’t leave. Instead, it came back with a rabbit.’

’What, did it come all the way back just to thank me for saving its life?’

Seeing no reaction from Shen Xin, the Hunting Falcon on the ground let out a few calls, then nudged the rabbit closer to him with its beak.

Beside them, Doniya suddenly understood and burst out laughing with a PFFT.

"What is it trying to do?" Shen Xin didn’t get it.

’Is it asking me to eat it?’

’How polite of it.’

Doniya was laughing so hard she couldn’t stand up straight. "Shen Xin, you still don’t get it? It’s courting you!"

Courting?

Shen Xin’s expression immediately turned strange.

’So after I let it go, it immediately flew off to prepare a betrothal gift?’

"This is hilarious! Why would it court you?" Doniya, still laughing, reached out to pet it.

The Hunting Falcon dodged her, flapped its wings, and landed lightly and precisely on Shen Xin’s head.

It instinctively gripped Shen Xin’s scalp with its talons.

It didn’t use much force, but its talons were incredibly sharp. Shen Xin’s scalp stung with pain, and he immediately dodged away.

It flapped its wings and landed on the ground, tilting its head to look at Shen Xin.

Shen Xin rubbed his head and held out his arm, patting it.

’My head isn’t your nest. If you want to get close, stand on my arm.’

It didn’t react, instead suddenly beating its wings and soaring into the sky.

Then, it began to circle and dive in the air, showing off its superb flying skills.

Doniya grabbed Shen Xin’s arm and shouted, "Shen Xin, do you see? It really is courting you!"

She explained that a falcon’s courtship ritual involves displaying its flying skills and presenting captured prey to its mate.

Shen Xin watched the Hunting Falcon fly freely in the sky and said speechlessly, "Well, it must be really desperate then."

’The moves are cool, but it’s clearly got the wrong target.’

Doniya couldn’t stop snickering. "Of course it is! It’s already May. All the other Hunting Falcons are paired up, but this one’s still single. How could it not be anxious?"

"But why would it mistake you for a female bird? Shen Xin, do you really have some kind of special scent?"

Back when they first found Hong Gu’er,

no one else could get close, only Shen Xin.

Zhang Qifeng had also said that Shen Xin had a natural affinity for animals.

As she spoke, Doniya even leaned in and sniffed him.

Shen Xin was speechless. "So? What do you smell?"

"Sweat."

Doniya giggled.

Just then, the Hunting Falcon overhead, having finished its aerial display, slowly descended again.

Strangely, it once again tried to land on Shen Xin’s head.

Shen Xin turned his head to avoid it, and it landed on the ground, tilting its head and staring at him intently.

Its big eyes seemed to hold a hint of... confusion?

Shen Xin stepped forward and picked it up.

It didn’t resist.

The creature looked large, with a wingspan of over a meter, but it was very light. Teacher Chen’s team had weighed it earlier—only 970 grams, just over two pounds.

Shen Xin placed it on his shoulder.

It steadied itself and began to nuzzle its head against Shen Xin, letting out soft chirps as it did.

’The strange thing is, even though it’s courting me, there’s no favorability icon over its head.’

"Look how affectionate it is with you."

Doniya was amazed. She said that when she was a child, she had seen people train falcons and golden eagles.

But those trained Hunting Falcons and golden eagles were all listless. Once their hoods were on, they basically wouldn’t move at all.

Not like this Hunting Falcon, which was so close to Shen Xin.

Shen Xin raised his arm and gave it a firm toss.

The Hunting Falcon immediately spread its wings and soared into the sky.

Shen Xin put his fingers in his mouth and whistled again.

The next moment, the Hunting Falcon circled down and landed on Shen Xin’s raised arm.

It was unusually obedient.

Beside him, Doniya immediately clapped and gave him a thumbs-up. "So cool!"

Shen Xin was silent.

’But, I have to admit, it really is cool,’ he thought.

’The only strange thing is, why is it so obedient when no favorability icon has appeared?’

’It’s wild and didn’t have a master before.’

’Plus, it doesn’t have the high intelligence of a dolphin.’

’Being this close, a favorability icon should have appeared by now.’

Just as he was wondering about this, the Hunting Falcon started moving up his arm, getting closer to his head again.

With a flap of its wings, it tried to jump onto Shen Xin’s head.

"Stop messing around." Shen Xin tilted his head to dodge.

’My head is not your nest.’

But it didn’t give up. Chirping softly, it tried to jump onto his head again.

Suddenly, Doniya seemed to realize something. She couldn’t hold back and clutched her stomach, howling with laughter.

"Shen Xin, I know!"

Doniya was laughing so hard tears came to her eyes. She asked Shen Xin if he knew how birds mated.

Birds?

Shen Xin turned to look at the Hunting Falcon on his arm, and his eyes suddenly went wide.

Shen Xin actually did know.

After all, he had played matchmaker for parrots before.

"Then it’s..."

Shen Xin sucked in a sharp breath, a "Holy shit!" escaping his lips.

"Hey, you’re still at it!"

Shen Xin quickly ducked his head away and lowered his arm.

The falcon flapped its wings and landed on the ground, chirping at Shen Xin with a look of utter confusion.

Beside him, Doniya was losing her mind with laughter.

"Stop laughing."

Shen Xin shot her a glare, too exasperated to even complain.

’Dolphins have their deviants, and now it turns out birds of prey do, too.’

’And what’s the deal with my ability anyway?’

Shen Xin couldn’t help but wonder, ’In the eyes of animals, have I really become some kind of special, attractive anomaly?’

Doniya quickly covered her mouth, promising she’d stop laughing.

But seeing the Hunting Falcon constantly trying to get close to Shen Xin, she joked, "Why don’t you... just give in to it?"

The moment she said it, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing again.

Shen Xin glared at her, and only then did she manage to stifle her laughter and say she was done joking.

Shen Xin picked up the wild rabbit and tossed it in front of the falcon.

"Alright, now scram."

’Aren’t falcons supposed to have amazing eyesight? They can see every move of their prey on the ground from a kilometer up.’

’How can it mistake a human for a bird?’

Shen Xin backed away a few steps.

The Hunting Falcon didn’t follow, just tilted its head, watching Shen Xin in confusion.

After a moment, with a beat of its wings, it soared high into the sky and vanished in an instant.